Tim O’Reilly: Google Is Becoming Our Global Brain

April 22, 2014

2:31 pm

0 Shares

Tim O’Reilly, founder and CEO of O’Reilly Media, is wrapping up his Reddit AMA now, where he answered questions from the public about the Internet of Things.

The Internet of Things refers to Internet-connected devices, sensors, and everyday objects that can send and receive data. Think of the Nest thermostat, which learns your temperature preferences and was acquired by Google in January.

Someone asked which company is closest to becoming a “global brain working,” and O’Reilly pointed to Google:

“No question. They are doing this on so many fronts.

They started with just digital knowledge. But they have always been a pretty serious ‘maker company,’ starting with their early data centers, continuing building amazing hardware innovations for the purpose of building their core business (like Google Streetview Cars), and eventually getting into hardware more directly with Android, Chromebooks, and Nest.